Did you know that ?" Helen did not know that, but she would not allow herself inferior to her husband in powers of observation.

She merely said: "Nothing would surprise me.

Even that dreadful flying man we met at the dance--even Mr.Dalloway--even--" "I advise you to be circumspect," said Ridley.

"There's Willoughby, remember--Willoughby"; he pointed at a letter.
Helen looked with a sigh at an envelope which lay upon her dressing-table.

Yes, there lay Willoughby, curt, inexpressive, perpetually jocular, robbing a whole continent of mystery, enquiring after his daughter's manners and morals--hoping she wasn't a bore, and bidding them pack her off to him on board the very next ship if she were--and then grateful and affectionate with suppressed emotion, and then half a page about his own triumphs over wretched little natives who went on strike and refused to load his ships, until he roared English oaths at them, "popping my head out of the window just as I was, in my shirt sleeves.